Armed Forces of Guatemala

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The Guatemalan Armed Forces (Template:Langx) is the unified military organization comprising the Guatemalan Army, Navy, Air Force, and Presidential Honor Guard. The president of Guatemala is the commander-in-chief of the military, and formulates policy, training, and budget through the Minister of Defence. Day-to-day operations are conducted by the Chief of the General Staff.

History

Guatemala is a signatory to the Rio Pact and was a member of the Central American Defense Council (CONDECA). The President of the Republic is commander-in-chief.

Prior to 67 the Defence Ministry was titled the Secretariat of War (Secretaría de la Guerra).

An agreement signed in September 1996, which is one of the substantive peace accords, mandated that the mission of the armed forces change to focus exclusively on external threats.[1] Presidents Álvaro Arzú and his successors Alfonso Portillo, Óscar Berger and Álvaro Colom, have used a constitutional clause to order the army on a temporary basis to support the police in response to a nationwide wave of violent crime, a product of the Mexican criminal organizations going across the north-west region.

The peace accords call for a one-third reduction in the army's authorized strength and budget — achieved in 2004 — and for a constitutional amendment to permit the appointment of a civilian minister of defense. A constitutional amendment to this end was defeated as part of a May 1999 plebiscite, but discussions between the executive and legislative branches continue on how to achieve this objective.

In 2004 the army has gone beyond its accord-mandated target, and has implemented troop reductions from an estimated 28,000 to 15,500 troops,[2] including subordinate air force (1,000) and navy (1,000) elements. It is equipped with armaments and material from the United States, Israel, Taiwan, Argentina, Spain, and France. As part of the army downsizing, the operational structure of 19 military zones and three strategic brigades are being recast as several military zones are eliminated and their area of operations absorbed by others. The air force operates three air bases; the navy has two port bases.[3]

The Guatemalan army has a special forces unit (specializing in anti-insurgent jungle warfare) known as the Kaibiles. In 2011, a Guatemalan court convicted four members of the Kaibiles, of killing more than 200 civilians in the Dos Erres massacre in 1982.[4] Each man was sentenced to 6,050 years in prison. Their convictions for their roles in the massacre nearly 30 years prior, in which soldiers killed more than 200 men, women, and children, would not have happened if not for the courage of victims of violence and Guatemala's attorney general, Claudia Paz y Paz. After the convictions of the Dos Erres four, based on a Guatemalan government's commitment to reorganize its special forces units, the U.S. Department of Defense resumed military aid.

Armed Forces Day

The Script error: No such module "Lang". (Army Day or Armed Forces Day) is celebrated on 30 June, although if it occurs on a Tuesday or Wednesday it is celebrated on the prior Monday, and if it occurs on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday it moves to the following Monday.[5]

Organization

The Armed Forces today number at around 39,000 active personnel.

Leadership

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Service branches

Army

The Army or Land Forces are the oldest military branch of the armed forces. In the middle of the 19th century, General Rafael Carrera promoted it with the triumph in the Battle of San José La Arada, dated to 2 February 1851, a date that is today commemorated as the day of this branch.

File:20230901 AI 150 ANIVERSARIO ESCUELA POLITECNICA 9 (2).jpg
Members of the Navy

Navy

The Navy was founded on 15 January 1959, by the then President Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes, due to the need to protect the country's marine resources, which at the time were the object of illegal predation by fishing boats from neighboring countries. It is a state entity with functions as a police agency for seas and rivers.

The Navy had also become a major part of Guatemalas homeland defense

Air Force

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The Guatemalan Air Force (Template:Langx) constitutes the aviation portion of the Guatemalan Army. Founded in 1921, it is organized, equipped and trained to plan, conduct and execute the actions imposed by the State Military Defense in relation to the use of air power.

Honor Guard

The Presidential Honor Guard of Guatemala is a branch of the Guatemalan Land Forces, responsible for the care and protection of the President of the Republic, as well as the Vice President.

Equipment

Small arms

Name Image Caliber Type Origin Notes
Pistols
M1911[6][7] File:M1911A1.png .45 ACP Semi-automatic pistol File:Flag of the United States (1908-1912).svg United States
Browning Hi-Power[7] File:FN Hi Power.jpg 9×19mm Semi-automatic pistol File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
CZ-75[8] File:1977 CZ-75.png 9×19mm Semi-automatic pistol Template:Country data Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
Shotguns
Valtro PM5/350[9] 12 gauge Shotgun File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy Use by Kaibiles; stockless configuration with 350mm barrel
Submachine guns
Uzi[7][10][9] File:Uzi of the israeli armed forces.jpg 9×19mm Submachine gun File:Flag of Israel.svg Israel
FMK-3 File:Pa3dm-fmk3-mod2.jpg 9×19mm Submachine gun File:Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina
MAC-10[7] File:MAC10.jpg 9×19mm Submachine gun File:Flag of the United States.svg United States
M3 Grease Gun[7] File:M3-SMG noBG.png 9×19mm Submachine gun File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States M3 and M3A1
Madsen M-50[11] File:Submachine Guns (9885170076) (cropped).jpg 9×19mm Submachine gun File:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark
Beretta M12[12] File:Beretta mod12s scheda.jpg 9×19mm Submachine gun File:Flag of Italy.svg Italy
Rifles
AKS-74U File:AKS74U (noBG).jpg 5.45×39mm Carbine
Assault rifle 		File:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Soviet Union
Vz. 58[13] File:Sa 58-JH01 noBG.png 7.62×39mm Assault rifle Template:Country data Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
IMI Galil[14] File:Southern Partnership Station 14 140813-M-FN127-235.jpg 5.56×45mm Assault rifle File:Flag of Israel.svg Israel 15,000 rifles
IWI Galil ACE
Indumil Galil ACE[15] 		File:IWI 3686.jpg 5.56×45mm Assault rifle File:Flag of Israel.svg Israel
File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia 		3,000 rifles
Galil Córdova[16][17] File:Galil Córdova 13.png 5.56×45mm Assault rifle File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia 8,000 rifles
IWI CTAR21[9][18] File:US Navy 090911-N-4267W-095 GM1 Sean Sammons assigned with Expeditionary Training Command (ETC) observes a member of the Guatemalan Navy Special Forces.jpg 5.56×45mm Bullpup
Assault rifle 		File:Flag of Israel.svg Israel In use with Kaibiles
M16[19] File:M16A2 rightside noBG.jpg 5.56×45mm Assault rifle File:Flag of the United States.svg United States M16A1 and M16A2
T65[20] File:TwT65.JPG 5.56×45mm Assault rifle File:Flag of the Republic of China.svg Taiwan
Heckler & Koch HK33[7] File:HK33A2 Flickr (yet another finn).png 5.56×45mm Assault rifle File:Flag of Germany.svg Germany
ArmaLite AR-10[21] File:AR10 Armalite vue d'ensemble noBG.png 7.62×51mm Battle rifle File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
Machine guns
Daewoo K3[22] File:Daewoo K3 machine gun 0.jpg 5.56×45mm Light machine gun File:Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea
Browning M1919[7] File:Browning M1919a.png 7.62×51mm Medium machine gun File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
Browning M2[7] File:PEO Browning M2E2 QCB (c1).jpg .50 BMG Heavy machine gun File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
FN MAG[7] File:IDF-FN-MAG.png 7.62×51mm General-purpose machine gun File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
Rocket propelled grenade launchers
M20 Super Bazooka[23] File:Rocket Launcher, M20A1B1 "Super Bazooka" AM.031317 (1).jpg 60mm Rocket-propelled grenade File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States
Grenade launchers
M203[7] File:PEO M203A2 Grenade Launcher.png 40×46mm Grenade launcher File:Flag of the United States.svg United States
M79[7] File:M79 Grenade Launcher (7414625716).jpg 40×46mm Grenade launcher File:Flag of the United States.svg United States

Anti-tank weapons

Name Image Type Origin Caliber Notes
M18[7] File:M18 57mm Recoilless Rifle pic1.JPG Recoilless rifle File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States 57mm
M40A1Template:Sfn File:Recoilless-rifle-beyt-hatotchan-1.jpg Recoilless rifle File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States 105mm 56 in service
M-1968[24] File:Czekalski cañón sin retroceso.JPG Recoilless rifle File:Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina 105mm 64 in service

Boats

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Golfo de Tribuga-class landing craft File:LCU Quetzal (BL-1601).webp Landing Craft Utility File:Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia 1

Other boats

1 Kukulcan Gc 1051 (105-foot patrol boat)
1 Patrol vessel GC-871 "Hunahpú" of 87 feet in length
1 Gucumatz Hydrographic Boat
2 Dabur class patrol boats (Gc 851, Gc 852, Gc 853)
6 Cutlass class patrol boats (Gc 651-656)
02 Machete-class Landing Craft (D-361, D-362)
08 Low Draft River Operation Boats - BOFBC
08 Vigilant Class Patrol Boats (GC-271 - GC-278)
20 Boston Whaler Interceptors
06 Midnight Express Interceptors
08 Metal Shark River Patrol Boats
22 LP Patrol Boats
45 River Patrol Boats of the Imemsa and Astimar Classes.
3 Silver Ship Inc. 43-foot Coastal Fast Response Boats (CFRBs)
3 Silver Ship Inc. 43-foot Coastal Fast Response Boats (CFRBs)donated to the Pacific Naval Command.
1 Zodiac Hurricane rigid inflatable boat.
20 Zodiac inflatable boats with motors.

Reconnaissance

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
RBY Mk 1 File:RBY-MkI-latrun-2.jpg Reconnaissance vehicle File:Flag of Israel.svg Israel 10[25]
M8 Greyhound File:Izvidniško oklepno vozilo M8 Greyhound.JPG Armored car File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States 12[26]

Armored personnel carriers

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
M113A1/A2 File:Blindado M113 (Ejército brasileño) en.jpg Armored personnel carrier File:Flag of the United States.svg United States 15[27]
Cadillac Gage Commando File:Cadillac Gage Commando.JPEG Armored personnel carrier File:Flag of the United States.svg United States 7[28]
Armadillo File:Armadillo Apc (66).JPG Armored personnel carrier File:Flag of Guatemala.svg Guatemala 30[29]

Utility vehicles

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
AIL Abir File:Abir.jpg Utility vehicle File:Flag of Israel.svg Israel 20
M151[30] File:AMG M151 A2 (1978) GB (owner Gavin Broad).JPG Utility vehicle File:Flag of the United States.svg United States Unknown
Jeep CJ-7 File:Jeep Guatemala.jpg Utility vehicle File:Flag of the United States.svg United States Unknown
Jeep J8[31] File:Military Light Tactical Vehicle Type C Parked at Gangshan Air Force Base 20170812a.jpg Utility vehicle File:Flag of the United States.svg United States 250
Mazda BT-50 File:Jeep Guatemala 2.jpg Utility vehicle File:Flag of Japan.svg Japan Unknown
Trucks
M35[30] File:M35A2 with winch.jpg Utility truck File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States Unknown
M54[30] File:Arkansas Air & Military Museum May 2017 55 (M54 5-ton 6x6 truck).jpg Utility truck File:Flag of the United States.svg United States Unknown

Artillery

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Mortars
M224 File:60mm mortar round being launch (crop).jpg Mortar File:Flag of the United States.svg United States 625
Field artillery
M-56[32] File:M56A1.jpg Howitzer File:Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Yugoslavia 56
M101Template:Sfn File:JGSDF 105mm Howitzer M2A1(Type 58 105mm Howitzer) left front view at Camp Nihonbara October 1, 2017.jpg Howitzer File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg United States 54
  • 24 M2A1
  • 30 M101

Air defence systems

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Zastava M55Template:Sfn File:Hispano-Suisa-M55-20x3-hatzerim-2.jpg Anti-aircraft gun File:Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Yugoslavia 16
Bofors L/60[33] File:40mm bofors AA-gun in Finland.JPG Autocannon File:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden Unknown
Blowpipe File:Blowpipe missile system being field-tested 1973.png MANPADS File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom 82

Historical equipment

Rifles

Sniper rifles

Submachine gun

Machine guns

Anti tank weapons

Tanks

Field artillery

Anti-aircraft artillery

Notable military personnel

References

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  4. ↑ Center for International Policy, Security Assistance Monitor
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  20. ↑ https://sadefensejournal.com/police-small-arms-arsenals-in-the-northern-central-american-triangle/ Template:Webarchive
  21. ↑ Pikula, page 45
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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Works cited

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External links

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